CHICAGO -Junior
Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) nabbed a 15th
place finish out of a field of 511 runners to lead the Saint Xavier University
women's cross country team across the finish line at the prestigious Sean Earl Lakefront
Invitational hosted by Loyola University Saturday at Montrose Harbor in
Chicago. Dean finished the 5K (5,000
meters) course with a personal-best time of 18:21 and helped the Cougars secure
a 24th place team finish among the 41 squads competing at the highly
competitive event, which included a large number of NCAA Division I
schools. Eight of SXU's nine runners competing
earned season-best times at Saturday's Invite.

Freshman Jordan Wallace (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way North)
was Saint Xavier's next finisher claiming 91st place with a time of
19:18, a new personal-best as well. Other top finishers for the Cougars included junior Jackie Ott (Island
Lake, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) at No. 224 with a 20:15 clocking, senior
Kelly Malone (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) at 20:23 for a 242nd
place finish and senior Jade Braden (Rocky River, Ohio/Rocky River) at No. 252
with a time of 20:29. As a team, SXU
finished ahead of Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) rivals
University of St. Francis (Ill.) in 26th place and Calumet College
of St. Joseph (Ind.) at 40th place.

Saint Xavier heads to South Bend, Ind., on Friday, October
8, to take part in the Bethel College Invitational. The women's race is set for a 5 p.m.
(central) start at Saint Patrick's Golf Course in South Bend.